Category: Openings

East Ender opened tonight serving a limited menu of drinks and appetizers such as meat and cheese plates, salad, fries and deviled eggs. You can see a draft of their full menu on their website (click on the word Delicious at the bottom of the homepage).

East Ender is located on Middle Street adjacent to Duckfat in the space formerly occupied by Norm’s East End Grill. Megan Schroeter and Mitch Gerow who had worked together as the bar manager and sous chef at Evangeline are the owners of East Ender.

15 Exchange is opening for business tonight. The Italian restaurant occupies the store front that had long been the home of Walter’s.

This is the third new business to open in the past 2 days. Which one do you think will be next out of the gate: EastEnder, Gigo, Gingko Blue or Shanghai-Tokyo?

Gorgeous Gelato is now open. Portland’s newest destination for gelato is located at 434 Fore Street.

The new Otto Pizza, located in the former North Star Music Cafe at 225 Congress Street is opening tonight. A recent article in the Portland Daily Sun reported that the restaurant will “offer 90-plus seats of family style sit-down dining, a full bar, and an expanded menu along with its popular by-the-slice take-out.”

According to a report in the Press Herald, a new Indian restaurant has opened in South Portland.

Aroma, Authentic India Cuisine, sells food that is traditionally from South India and is made from unique spices and curries, said part-owner Jay Yeety.

District Grille is opening with a limited appetizer menu and a cash bar tonight. They will be closed on Wednesday and plan to reopen with full dinner service starting Thursday . Pete Sueltenfuss is leading the kitchen staff with brothers Bill and James O’Brien along with Anthony Mastropasqua as owners of the restaurant.
The restaurant’s liquor license application states that they plan to serve an “Upscale American” menu.

Pizza Magnolia opened for business last month in South Portland. The pizzeria is run by Kristie Green who, in addition to being the owner of Maple’s Organics, is also the granddaughter of Jack Angelone, the founder of Pizza by Angelone (1947).

Hot Suppa! plans to start serving a new dinner service tonight.
The West End eatery famous for its hash will now be open 5-9:15 pm, Tuesday through Saturday with a full bar and a new dinner menu of choices to pick from such as Fois Gras Poutine, Jambalaya and Fried Green Tomatoes.

The news coverage of the Trader Joe’s opening extends into it’s first day with photos and commentary on From Away, and articles from the Bowdoin Orient and Press Herald.
Here’s an excerpt from the From Away,

In front of a crowd of people that circled the packed-to-capacity parking lot, Portland Mayor Nicholas Mavodones and Portland “Store Captain” Tracy Acciola performed a ceremonial lei cutting, before the first lucky patrons were let in the door, to cheers from the Hawaiian shirt-bedecked staff. Excited customers had taken the day off from work; one woman I spoke to pulled her daughter out of school for the day. Whole Foods, you’re in big trouble.

The news coverage of the Trader Joe’s opening extends into it’s first day with photos and commentary on From Away, and articles from the Bowdoin Orient and Press Herald.

Here’s an excerpt from the From Away,

In front of a crowd of people that circled the packed-to-capacity parking lot, Portland Mayor Nicholas Mavodones and Portland “Store Captain” Tracy Acciola performed a ceremonial lei cutting, before the first lucky patrons were let in the door, to cheers from the Hawaiian shirt-bedecked staff. Excited customers had taken the day off from work; one woman I spoke to pulled her daughter out of school for the day. Whole Foods, you’re in big trouble.